The Theatre of Marcellus (Teatro di Marcello) 1752 - 1762

This etching, “The Theatre of Marcellus (Teatro di Marcello)” (1752-1762) by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, is a fine example of the artist's masterful use of line to depict architectural detail. Piranesi, a renowned Italian artist and architect, captured the grandeur of the ancient Roman theater while meticulously rendering the surrounding urban landscape. The etching, which depicts the Theatre of Marcellus as it appeared in the mid-18th century, is a testament to Piranesi's keen eye for detail and his deep fascination with Roman ruins. The work, which is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is part of Piranesi's influential series "Le Antichità Romane" (Roman Antiquities), which documented the city's ancient structures with unparalleled precision and artistic beauty.